Stick feeding machine



Aug. 5, 1941. A. M. GRIFFIN ET AL STICK FEEDING MACHINE '7 Sheets-Shea?l 2 Filed March 18, 1940 Y DD ATTORNEY.

Aug. 5, 1941. A. M. GRIFFIN ETAL STICK FEEDING MACHINE Filed March 18, 1940 7 Sheets-Sheet 3 ATT RNEY.

ug.. 5, 1941- A. M. GRIFFIN ETAL STICK FEEDING MACHINE v Filed March 18, 1940 7 Sheets-Sheet 4 1N VEN TORS ATTO EY.

Aug. 5, 1941. l A. M. GRIFFIN ETAL STICK FEEDING MACHINE 7 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed March 18. 1940 ATTORNEY Aug. 5, 1941.

A. M. GRIFFIN ETAL.

STICK FEEDING MACHINE Filed March 18, 1940 7 Sheets-Sheet 6 ATTORNEY.

Aug.5,1941. AA. M. G'RjFFiN ETA.. 2,251,333

STICK FEEDING MACHINE Filed March 18, 1940 '7 Sheets-Sheet 7 1N VENTORS ATTORNEY.

Patented Aug. 5, 1941 STICK FEEDING MACHINE Alvah Michael Griiiin and Alvah Merle Griffin, Los Angeles, Calif., assignors to Paul Hawkins Application March 18, 1940, Serial No. 324,630

12 Claims.

Our invention relates to feeding mechanisms and has particular reference to a machine for simultaneously feeding a plurality of members into a receptacle and finding particular utility when employed to feed sticks into stick holders of the type used in the manufacture of sticked frozen confections.

The manufacture in large quantities of frozen confections of the type employing a slender piece oi wood or stick as a handle member therefor has indicated the need for a means of automatically placing the sticks into the confection before freezing. Prior to our invention this operation was performed either wholly or in part by hand. In the hand method a large block of ice cream or similar frozen confection was cut into the smaller sized pieces used for the final confection and the sticks were inserted into these smaller blocks by hand. Later developments produced the well known individual mdld and stick holder apparatus which provided a set of twenty-four mold units adapted to receive the partially frozen confection, together with a stick holder for properly supporting a stick 'in each of the molded units. The twenty-four sticks were placed in the stick holder either by hand or by means of one of a number of types of machines. 'Ihe hand method of loading the stick holders was expensive, slow and required constant and careful supervision to maintain proper sanitary conditions.

The machines used for loading were unsatisfactory in a number of respects. The feeding was not positive and certain of the holders would not be provided with a stick. The feeding was, in general, by gravity so that the sticks were not all loaded to a uniform depth in the holder, resulting in a non-uniform product presenting a. poor appearance and giving rise to a high percentage of rejects on inspection. The intermittent transporting and locking mechanisms required such a nicety of adjustment as to make long continued operation a practical impossibility.

It is accordingly an object of our invention to overcome the disadvantages commonly found in feeding mechanisms by providing a feeding device for positively feeding a member from a stock rack into a receptacle and by providing means for continuing the feeding of each mmber until said member is certain to be disposed in its final desired position.

It is also an object of our invention to provide a. mechanism of the character set forth which is particularly adapted to the feeding of sticks into stick holders used in the manufacture of frozen confections and which includes means for positively moving each stick into such position in the stick holder that non-uniformity of stick position relative to such holder is wholly obviated.

It is a further object of our invention to provide a mechanism of the character set forth in the preceding paragraphs which employs a continuously moved supporting member for the stick holder, together with means for intermittently restraining the stick holder against movement with said supporting member and releasing said stick holder to allow it to move therewith.

It is also an object of our invention to provide in a mechanism of the character set forth in the preceding paragraphs a means for actuating the locking device normally y found on stick holders after the stick holders have been filled with sticks.

It is a further object of our invention to provide a feeding mechanism i employing a lock actuating device of the character set forth in the preceding paragraph wherein means is provided for preventing operation of the lock until the holder has been completely lled with sticks and for positively, operating the lock immediately thereafter.

It is also an object of our invention to provide in a feeding mechanism of the character set forth a means for positively engaging each stick during the feeding operation to move said stick out of the stock rack 4and into the receptacle provided therefor in contra-distinction to previous methods of frictionally engaging said stick.

Itis another object of our invention to provide a feeding mechanism of the character set forth in the preceding paragraphs with a means responsive to the feeding of one set of sticks for automatically advancing the stick holder and aligning it with the stick discharging mechanism preparatory to filling a second group of stick receptacles in the stick holder.

Other objects and advantages of our invention will be apparent from a study of the following specifications, read in connection with the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of the preferred embodiment of our stick feeding machine;

Fig. 2 is a side elevation similar to Fig. 1 but viewed from the opposite side;

Fig. 3 is a plan view of the machine illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2;

Fig. 41s a` front elevational view; partly in section, illustrating the driving mechanismv and the relative location of the stick feeding mechanism and the stick holder transporting mechanism;

Fig. 5 is a. vertical section taken substantially along the line V-V of Fig. 4 and illustrating the details of construction of the pick which is employed to move each stick from its stock rack into the stick holder;

Fig. 6 is a horizontal section taken substantially along the line VI-VI of Fig. 5 showing the relative positions of the feeding mechanism and the stick holder at the time the first set of sticks is fed into the stick holder;

Fig. 'I is a fragmentary section similar to Fig. 6 illustrating the position of the stick holder resulting from the advancement of the stick holder to a position to fill the second set of stick receptacles after the first have been filled;

Fig. 8 is a view similar to Fig. 7 illustrating the position of the stick holder at the time the last of the four sets of stick receptacles has been filled; and

Fig. 9 is a View similar to Figs. 6, 'I and 8 illustrating the relative positions of a pair of stick holders, one of which is disposed in a position to receive sticks in the first group of stick receptacles and the other of which is disposed in a position permitting the locking attachment to actuat the stick holding lock.

Referring to the drawings, we have illustrated the preferred embodiment of our invention as including a pair of vertically disposed side frames I and 2 which may be held in spaced relation relative to each other by means of cross-tie members 3 and 4 such as is illustrated in Fig. 4. The side frames I and 2 support a plurality of stock racks 5 adapted to receive and store a plurality of sticks 6 of the type commonly used as handle members for frozen confections. Each of the stocky racks 5 preferably comprises a pair of spaced, vertically extending plate members 1 and 8 supported in spaced relation relative to each other by means of a bottom member 9. Each of the plurality of stock racks 5 may be carried on the side frames I and 2 by providing a, transversely extending plate memberII) carried by upwardly extending arms II and I2 on each of the side frames I and 2, the plate member I being adapted to receive the stock racks and have the bottom members 9 thereof secured thereto in any suitable manner.

The stock racks 5 are preferably disposed in an inclined position so that the sticks 6 which are disposed therein in an endwise position may be continuously urged forwardly toward the feeding mechanism on the machine by means of feeders I3. Each of the feeders I3 comprises a relatively heavyweight member, plate-like in form, adapted to be received in the stick receiving slot formed by the stock rack side members 1 and 8 and be urged downwardly along the sloping lbottom 9 of the stock racks 5 by gravity. Freedom of movement of the feeders I3 under the influence of gravity is assured by providing each of the feeders I3 with a plurality of rollers I 4 resting on the bottom 9 of the stock racks 5.

Each of the feeders I3 is provided with a stick engaging face I5 so disposed as to extend substantially vertically when the feeder I3 is placed in the stock rack 5 in the manner described. The stick engaging face I5 tends to force all of the sticks 6 which are placed between said face and a feeding mechanism I6 in the direction of such feeding mechanism. The feeding mechanism I6 includes a transversely extending -bar I1 to which is secured a plurality of picks I8 (one for each of the stock racks 5 provided). Each of the picks I8 is provided with a transversely and vertically extending plate portion I9 from the rear of which projects a web member 20 which ls provided with a stick engaging notch 2l on its lower end.

The pick I8 is adapted to be reciprocably moved vertically over the face of a stick guiding chute 22 which forms a closure for the lower open end of each of the stock racks 5. The stick guiding chute 22 is provided with an elongated recess 23 on its rearward face of a size sufficient to loosely receive one of the sticks 6 and is also provided with a vertically extending slot 24 on its forward face, the slot 24 being adapted to receive the rearwardly extending web portion 28 of the pick f I8 while the transversely extending plate portion I9 thereof rests against the forward face of the stick guiding chute 22.

It will be readily observed that the action of the feeder I3 forces the plurality of sticks 6 downwardly, in the stock rack 5 so as to bring the foremost of such sticks into the recess 23 in a position disposed immediately below the stick engaging notch 2| of the pick I 8, so that should the pick I8 be moved downwardly the notch 2I will engage the upper end of the foremost stick 6 and force said stick downwardly through the stick guiding chute 22.

Power for this Vertical reciprocal motion of the plurality of picks I8 may be derived from an electric motor 25 or other suitable power source. The motor 25 may be secured in any suitable manner to a transversely extending supporting plate member 26 secured in turn to each of the side frames I and 2. The motor 25 may be drivably connected to a main countershaft 21 by means of a chain or belt 28 encircling a motor sprocket or pulley 29 and a countershaft sprocket or pulley 30. The countershaft 21 may be drivably engaged with a driven shaft 3| -by means of any suitable clutch mechanism 32 and rotation of the driven shaft 3I, resulting from the engagement of the clutch mechanism 32, may be transmitted to a crankshaft 33 by means of a sprocket and chain connection 34.

The crankshaft 33 is preferably journaled for rotation in each of the side frames I and 2 and provided at each of its outer ends with crank members 35 and 36 to each of which is coupled connecting rods 31 and 38. Each of the connecting rods 31 and 38 are in turn pivotally secured to cross-heads 39 and 40 which are guided for vertical sliding movement by means of guide plates 4I and 42 secured to upstanding portions 43 of the side frames I and 2 and received in guiding notches 44 in each of the cross-heads 39 and 40.

The previously mentioned transversely extending feeder bar I1 may be secured to the upper ends of each of the cross-heads 39 and 40 by means of screws 45 or other suitable attaching means. This mechanical connection between the electric motor 25 and the feeder bar I1 converts the rotary motion of the motor 25 into a reciprocating motion of the cross-heads 39 and 40 upwardly and downwardly along the guide members 4I and 42 so as to vertically reciprocate the feeding bar I1 and each of the picks I8 carried thereby so as to cause ejection of the sticks 6 through the stick guiding chutes 22 in the manner previously described.

It will be apparent that as the foremost one of the sticks 6 in the stock rack 5 is fed downwardly through the guiding chute 22 and out of the stock rack 5, the feeder I3 will move the supply of sticks forwardly and bring the next stick into stick holder 46 by rotating the shaft 54.

feeding position during the time the feeder bar I1 and picks I 8 carried thereby are in their lowermost position. l

In order that the return movement of the pick I8 to its foremost position will not be interfered with by this forward feeding of the sticks in the stock rack 5, we prefer to resiliently secure the pick I8 to the feeder bar I1 so as to permit the pick I8 to be moved forwardly out of engagement with the stick as it is moved upwardly on the return stroke. This-resilient attachment may be provided by means of screws 45a threadedly engaged with the feeder bar I1 and passed through a suitable hole in the upper end of each of the picks I8 and by disposing a compression spring 45b between the head of the screws 45a and the outer surface of the pick I8,

Our invention also includes means for supporting and transporting a well known form of stick holding device 46 in synchronism with the operation of the previously described stick feeding mechanism. The stick holding device 46 is of a well known type and includes a horizontally disposed base portion 41 upon which is supported twenty-four stick receiving receptacles 48. These receptacles are ordinarily arranged in four rows of six each and the stick holder 46 includes a locking handle 49 which, when moved in the direction of the arrow 58 (see Fig. 4), actuates mechanism for simultaneously securing each of the twenty-four sticks in the associated stick receiving receptacles 48 so as to permit the stick holder 46 to be lifted by its handles 5I without the sticks falling out of their receptacles 46.

Each of the stick receiving receptacles 48 is normally provided with an open bottom and a funnel-shaped top so that sticks 6 which are fed into the funnel-shaped top may be passed through .the receptacles 48 until the sticks are placed in a position disposing the major portion below the lower surface of the base portion 41. .The manner in which the sticks are supported in the open bottom receptacles during the operation of the machine will be described hereinafter.

The transporting mechanism for urging the stick holders 46 past the chutes 22 preferably comprises a chain or belt conveyor employing a pair of longitudinally extending chain loops 52 and 53 passed about associated sprockets which are secured to transversely extending shafts 53a and 54. Each of the shafts 53a and 54 is journaled for rotation in a separate supporting framework 55 which includes a pair of vertically disposed longitudinally extending plates 56 and 51 interconnected at their lower ends by a horizontally disposed longitudinally extending plate 58. I'he plate member 58 is provided with attaching means 59 and 60 adapted to secure the supporting structure 55 to each of the side frames I and 2.

This mechanism is disposed immediately below the plurality of stick guiding chutes 22 so that when the stick holding device 46 is placed on the upper strand of the chains 52 and 53, movement of these chains will frictionally urge the stick holder 46 forwardly beneath these chutes. This longitudinal movement may be imparted to glie e shaft 54 is accordingly provided with a splined end 6I cooperating with similar splines formed in the hub of a sprocket 62 which provides, in cooperation with a chain and another sprocket 64 secured to the main countershaft 21, ameans for rotating the shaft 54 in response to rotation of the driving motor 25. It will be observed that as the driving motor 25 is operated continuously, the chains 52 and 53 operate to continuously urge the stick holder 46 toward the stick guiding chutes 22,

In order that the stick holder 46 may be maintained in a stationary position with the rst of the four rows of stick receiving receptacles 48 disposed immediately below the chutes 22, we provide means for restraining the stick holder 46 against movement at the time the stick holder has been advanced to such an aligned position. This mechanism includes a pair of cam members 66 and 66 which comprise vertically extending plate portions 61 permanently secured to a longitudinally extending rod 68 which is in turn journaled for rotation in bearing members 69 carried by the upper end of each of the vertical plates 56 and 51.

Each of the cam members 65 and 66 also includes a horizontally disposed portion 10 provided with four laterally extending teeth 1I, 12, 13 and 14 corresponding to the four rows of stick receiving receptacles 48 provided on the stick holder 46. The teeth 1I-14 are normally disposed in a position to engage the foremost face of each of the handle members 5I carried by the stick holder 46 so that as the stick holder 46 is moved toward the stick guiding chutes 22 by the frictional driving engagement of Athe chains 52 and 53, the forward motion thereof will be arrested by engagement of the upstanding portions 'of the handle members 5I with the first teeth 'II at the time the -rst row of stick receiving receptacles 48 are disposed immediately below the stick guiding chutes 22.

. It will be observedV that with the parts disposed in these relative positions, such positions being indicated in Fig. 6, downward movement of the stick feeding mechanism I6 will cause a stick to be delivered from each of the stick guiding chutes 22 into the stick receiving receptacles 48 disposed immediately therebelow. The proper position of each of the sticks 6 in vertical relation to the stick holder 48 is obtained by locating the lower plate member 58 in such `position that when the sticks are passed through the openings provided in each of the stick receiving receptacles 48 and brought to rest upon the supporting plate 58, the desired vertical positioning of the sticks relative to the stick holder 46 is obtained.

In order to insure the complete entry of each of the sticks into their associated stick receiving receptacle 48 and the complete passage of said sticks therethrough until they come into contact with the plate member 58, we prefer to arrange the location of parts and the stroke of the picks I8 such that the stick is positively forced downwardly to a point disposing the center of gravity of the stick well below the upper portion of each of the receptacles 48 so that the stick may readily fall by gravity the remaining small distance.

As soon as the first row of sticks has been inserted in the stick holder 46 in the manner described, itis necessary to advance the stick holder 46 to a position aligning the second row of receptacles 48 with the stick guiding chutes 22 before the second feeding operation is performed by the feeding mechanism I6. We accordingly provide a means which is responsive to the operation of feeding the first row of sticks into the stick holder 46 for moving the cam members 65 and 66 out of engagement with the stick holder 46, thus permitting the continuously operating conveyor chains 52 and 53 to move the stick holder 46 into the new desired position.

This mechanism includes an arm 15 secured to the upper end of the connecting rod 38 in such position that an upper end 16 of the arm 15 will engage a trip arm 11 during upward travel of the feeding bar I1 and so that such engagement is prevented during downward travel of the feeding bar I1. This operation is secured by disposing the upper end 16 of thev arm 15 above the point of pivotal connection between the connecting rod 38 and the cross-head 40. Reference to Fig. 2 will show that rotation of the crank arm 35 in the direction indicated by arrow 16 will cause the connecting rod 38 to pivot in a counter-clockwise direction about its pivotal connection with the cross-head 40 and move the arm 15 to the left as viewed in this figure to a position allowing the arm 15 to descend below the trip arm 11 without coming into contact therewith.

It is also apparent that as the crank arm 15 passes the lower dead-center position and starts the upward travel of the cross-head 40, the connecting rod 38 will pivotally move in a clockwise direction about its pivotal connection with the cross-head 40 and move the upper end 16 of the arm 15 to a position permitting engagement between the said upper end and the trip arm 11.

As is illustrated in Fig. 3, the trip arm 11 is preferably secured to a transversely extending rockshaft 19 suitably journaled for pivotal movement in each of the upstanding plate members 56 and 51 so that the previously described movement of the trip arm 11 will cause a partial rotation of the rockshaft 19. Pivotal movement of the rockshaft 19 is transmitted by means of crank arms 80 and 8I secured tol opposite ends of the rockshaft 19 to each of the cam members 65 and 66 by means of outwardly projecting rod members 82 and 83 secured in any suitable fashion to the vertical plate portions 61. Tension springs 84 and 85 connected between each of the projecting rods 82 and 83 and the side frames I and 2 normally urge these rods downwardly and the teeth 1I-14 inwardly toward the stick holder 46.

It will be observed that as the feeding bar I1 is moved upwardly preparatory to feeding a second set of sticks into the the stick holder 46, engagement of the upper end 16 of the arm 15 will, through the agency of the trip arm 11, rock shaft 19, crank arms 80 and 8|, and projecting rods 82 and 83, cause the cam members 65 and 66 to pivot about their pivotal mountings 68 and move the teeth 1I--14 outwardly so as to disengage the teeth 1I from the vertical portion of the handle members 5I and permit the conveyor chains 52 and 53 to move the stick holder 46 forwardly toward a position aligning the second row of stick receiving receptacles 46 with the stick guiding chutes 22. Attention is called to the fact that as the upward movement of the feeder bar I1 continues, the upper end 16 of the arm 15 is moved out of engagement with the trip arm 11, allowing the tension springs 84 and 85 to move the trip arm 11 and the cam members 65 and 66 to their normal position, thus placing the teeth 12 in a position to engage the stick holder 46 and arrest transporting movement thereof in a position aligning the second row of stick receiving receptacles 48 with the stick guiding chutes 22.

The relative positions of the cam members 65 and 66 and the stickl holder 46 at this time is illustrated in Fig. 7 Such intermittent operation of inserting sticks into the stick receiving receptacles 48 and then feeding the stick holder 46 forwardly to align the next row of receptacles with the stick guiding chutes continues until the sticks are placed in the last or fourth row of receptacles at which time the parts occupy the relative positions illustrated in Fig. 8. At this time, in continuous operation, another stick holder is placed upon the conveyor chains 52-53 and moved thereby into abutting relation with the stick holder 46 which is held in fixed position by the last cam tooth 14. These stick holders are held in longitudinal spaced relation relative to each other by abutting spacer members 86 carried by the vertically extending portions of the handles 5I.

After the sticks are inserted in the last row of the `holders disposed below the stick guiding chutes, it is necessary to advance both of the stick holders sufliciently far to place the flrst row of stick receiving receptacles in the next holder below the stick guiding chutes 22. Inadvertent arresting of the forward motion of either of the stick holders 46 either by engagement of the forward end of a following holder with the end of the cam members 65 and 66 or the engagementv of the tooth 1I with the rearward upright portions of the handle member 5I is obvlated by providing an elongated cam surface 81 disposed immediately before the first tooth 1 I.

Reference to Figs. 8 and 9 will show that with the parts in the positions illustrated in Fig. 8, outward movement of the cam members 65 and 66 will permit forward movement of both of the stick holders 46 and that subsequent inward movement of the cam members to their normal position is arrested by engagement of the cam surface 81 with the upright portions of the handle members 5I so that the cam members are held out of their normal position until the stick holders have been moved forwardly to substantially the positions indicated in Fig. 9, at which time the cam surface 81 traverses the forward upright portion of the handle member 5I on the following stick holder 46, permitting the cam members 65 and 66 to move inwardly and cause engagement of the tooth 1I with the following stick holder 46 and arrest further forward movement thereof, The preceding stick holder 46 is, however, moved forwardly until the rearward upright portion of its handle member 5I engages the tooth 12 at which time further forward movement of the preceding stick holder 46 is arrested.

We prefer, as soon as the preceding stick holder 46 has been moved to the position illustrated in Fig. 9 and in the clear relative to the stick guiding chutes 22, to actuate the locking mechanism controlled by the locking lever 49 to secure each of the twenty-four sticks carried by this stick holder in their associated stick receiving receptacle 48. We accordingly provide an axially slidable rod 88 which supports a bracket-like operator 89 disposed in a position to engage the locking lever 49 when the slidable rod 88 is moved to .the left, as viewed in Fig. 9, to the position indicated by dotted lines.

The end of the operator 89 carries a guard member 90 which operates to engage the side of the locking lever 49 should the rod 8B occupy a position bringing the operator 89 into the location illustrated by dotted lines in Fig. 9 at the time the stick holder 46 is moved to the position illustrated in this figure. The guard member 90 accordingly operates to prevent the operator 89 from catching on the back side of the locking lever 49 and breaking or jamming the equipment. The proper engagement of the operator 89 with the lever 49 forces the lever to the left, as viewed in Fig. 9, and locks each of the twenty-four sticks carried vby the stick holder 46 in its associated receptacle.

We prefer to impart to the slidable rod 88 a reciprocating motion and to derive this motion from the reciprocating motion of the connecting rod 31. We accordingly provide a mechanical connection between the slidable rod 88 and the connecting rod 31 which includes a connecting link 9| interposed between one arm of a pivotally mounted bell crank 92 and the connection rod 31. The link 9| is pivotally secured to the connecting rod 31 by means of a pivot 99 and is universally connected to the end of the bell crank 92 by means of pivot connections 94 and 95 whose axes are disposed at right angles to each other. This connection established by the link 9| causes the bell crank 92 to be oscillated about its pivotal support 96 as the connecting rod 31 is reciprocated during the feeding operation.

The oscillating movement of the bell crank 92 may be imparted to the slidable `rod 88 by means of a connecting link 91 pivotally secured by means of pivot 98 and clamp 99 to the slidable rod 88 and universally connected by means of pivots and |0| to the end of the other arm of the bell crank 92. It is readily apparent that as the connecting rod 31 is reciprocated during the operation of the feeding mechanism, the slidable rod 88 will also be reciprocated transversely of the machine to bring the opera-tor 89 into a position to engage the locking lever 49 whenever one of the stick holders 46 has been advanced to a position to be engaged therebyl The previous description has indicated that the number of complete feeding units employed comprising the stick storage rack 5, the feeder I3, pick I8, and stick guiding chute 22, is equal to the number of stick receiving receptacles 48 occurring in each of the four rows of the stick holder 46. These six sets of feeding equipment are identified in Fig. 4 by the reference letters A through F. Our invention, however, contemplates the use of this same machine for the filling of a different type of stick holder which is used `in the manufacture of twin confections, these twin confections being of a type employing two sticks for each confection.

The stick holder employed in the manufacture of twin confectlons of this type employs four rows of stick holding receptacles 48 but each row includes six pairs of receptacles instead of six individual receptacles as previously described. In

order to accommodate this alternative type of stick holder, we provide feeding equipment for the six additional sticks to be inserted at each feeding operation, these sets of feeding equipment being identified in Fig. 4 by the reference characters A through F.

The stick holder employed for the manufacture of the twin confections is, however, somewhat wider than the stick holder 46 illustrated in Fig. 4, thus necessitating the widening of the equipment in order to transport the alternative stick holder on the conveyor chains 52 and 53. We accordingly provide a spacer member |02 which is secured to the inside face of the upright portion 51 of the auxiliary frame 55. This spacer member extends longitudinally of the machine and is disposed in a position to `engage the end of the stick holder 46. The spacer member |02 is removably secured to the plate 51 by means of detachable securing means |03 so that detachment and removal of the spacer member |02 provides the required additional width to permit passage of the alternate form of stick holder along the conveyor chains 52 and 53.

It is necessary, whenusing this alternate type of stick holder, to realign the stick holding receptacles thereon with the stick guiding chutes 22. Provision is made for this realigning operation and includes slotted openings |04 for rereceiving. the attaching means 59 and 60 so that loosening of the attaching means permits the bodily sliding of the auxiliary frame 55 to the right, as viewed in Fig. 4, to bring the stick holding receptacles into alignment with the stick guiding chutes 22. In performing this operation it is necessary to loosen the securing means which holds the sprocket 62 on the shaft 54 and to slide this sprocket on the splines sprocket back into alignment sprocket 64. Y

Clearance for the handle member 5I is obtained by suitably notching, as indicated at |05, the lower end of the stick guiding chutes 22 as- 6| to bring the with the driving sociated with the feeding unit A and clearance for the locking handle 49 employed on the alternative type of stick 'holder notching the lower ends of the stick guiding chutes 22 associated with the feeding units B and B' in the manner indicated at |06 and |01.

It will be observed from the foregoing that we have provided a feeding mechanism particularly adapted to the feeding of sticks for use in frozen sticked connections and have included in such mechanism a means for positively engaging and forcing the stick through a guiding chute and into positive position in the receptacle in which the stick is to be received. Y

It will be further observed that the device of our invention is particularly suitable for use with certain well known forms of stick holders commonly employed in the manufacture of frozen sticked confections and provides means for supporting and feeding the holder through the machine intermittently to receive a plurality of sticks in each of the groups of stick receiving receptacles provided on such holders, and also provides means for automatically operating the locking mechanism carried by such stick holders after the holders are filled.

Attention is called to the fact that this actuation of the locking mechanism occurs at the time the rst set of sticks is being inserted in the next following stick holder so that assurance is provided that the holder upon which the locking mechanism is operated is completely free of the feeding mechanism and that operation of such locking device will Ain no way interfere with the feeding of sticks into the stick holder.

It will be further observed that our invention provides a means for continuously urging the stick holders in the desired direction past the stick feeding mechanism, together with means for alternately restraining the holders against such movement and releasing the holders to is obtained by suitably allow the transporting of the holders into a posia plurality of said receptacles spaced from each other, the combination of: a stock rack for holding a supply of sticks in a substantially vertical position and including a plurality of vertically disposed chutes through which sticks may pass, said chutes 'being aligned in a row and spaced from each other in correspondence with the spacing of the receptacles in each row on said holder; means for supporting said holder in a position below said chutes with one of the rows of receptacles thereon aligned with the line of said chutes; and feeding means for engaging said sticks and positively moving said sticks through a distance sufficient to pass said sticks from said chutes and dispose the center of gravity thereof below the upper edge of the receptacle in which said stick is received.

2. In a device for placing sticks in a stick holder including a plurality of spaced and aligned stick receiving receptacles, the combination of a stock rack for holding a supply of sticks in a substantially vertical position and including a vertically disposed chute through which sticks may pass; means for supporting said holder in a position below said chute with one of the receptacles thereon aligned with said chute; and feeding means for engaging said sticks and positively moving one of said sticks through a distance sufficient to pass said stick from said chute and dispose the center of gravity thereof below the upper edge of the receptacle in which said stick is received.

3. In a device for placing sticks in a stick holder including a plurality of spaced and aligned stick receiving receptacles, the combination of: a stock rack for holding a supply of sticks and including a guiding chute through which sticks may pass; feeding means for feeding a stick through said chute; a continuously operating conveyor means for supporting and continuously urging said holder past said chute along a path parallel to the line of said receptacles; and means for arresting the movement of said holder in steps to successively align each of said receptacles with said chute.

4. In a device for placing sticks in a stick holder including a plurality of spaced rows of stick receiving receptacles, each row including a plurality of said receptacles spaced from each other, the combination of: a stock rack for holding a supply of sticks and including a plurality of guiding chutes through which sticks may pass, said chutes being aligned in a row and spaced from each other in correspondence with the spacing of the stick receiving receptacles in each row on said stick holder; a continuously operating endless conveyor means for supporting and continuously urging said holder past said chutes along a path transverse to the line of said chutes; cam means for arresting the movement of said holder in steps to successively align said rows of receptacles with said chutes; feeding means for positively engaging sticks carried by said stock rack and positively moving the engaged sticks through said chutes and into said receptacles; and means coupled to said feeding means and responsive to feeding operation thereof for actuating said cam means to permit movement of said stick holder to a position aligning the next row of receptacles with the line of chutes.

5. In a device for placing sticks in a stick holder including a plurality of spaced rows of stick receiving receptacles, each row including a plurality of said receptacles spaced from each other, the combination of: a stock rack for holding a supply of sticks and including a plurality of guiding chutes through which sticks may pass, said chutes being aligned in a row and spaced from each other in correspondence with the spacing of the stick receiving receptacles in each row on said stick holder; means for supporting and continuously urging said holder past said chutes along a path transverse to the line of said chutes; cam means for arresting the movement of said holder in steps to successively align said rows of receptacles with said chutes, said cam means including a plurality of teeth spaced from each other a distance equal to the spacing between rows of receptacles on said stick holder and disposed in a position to be engaged by said stick holder when said stick holder is moved into said aligned position; feeding means for engaging said sticks in said stock rack and positively moving said sticks through said chutes and into said receptacles in the row aligned with said chutes; and means coupled to said feeding means and responsive to completion of the feeding operation of inserting said sticks into said receptacles for momentarily disengaging said cam teeth from said holder to permit movement of `said holder past said chutes and for again disposing said cam member in such position that the next one of said teeth will be engaged by said holder when the next row of stick receiving receptacles is aligned with said stick guiding chutes.

6. In a device for placing sticks in a stick holder including a plurality of spaced rows of stick receiving receptacles, each row including a plurality of said receptacles spaced from each other, the combination of: a stock rack for holding a supply of sticks and including a plurality of guiding chutes through which sticks may pass, said chutes being aligned in a row and spaced from each other in correspondence with the spacing of the stick receiving receptacles in each row on said stick holder; means for supporting and moving said holder past said chutes along a path transverse to the line of said chutes; cam means for arresting the movement of said holder in steps to successively align said rows of receptacles with said chutes; a feeding means comprising a member mounted for reciprocating movement toward and away from each of said stick guiding chutes and engageable with one end of the stick adjacent each of said chutes during forward movement toward said chute to force said stick therethrough; an arm carried by said reciprocable feeding members; and a lever connected with said cam memberstand engageable by said arm during reverse movement of said feeding members for actuating the cam means to permit movement of said stick holder to a position aligning the next row of receptacles with the line of chutes.

7. In a device for placing sticks in a stick holder including a plurality of spaced rosws of stick receiving receptacles, each row including a plurality of receptacles spaced from each other, and a locking means operable to secure each of the sticks in its associated receptacle, the combination of: a stock rack for holding a supply of sticks and including a plurality of stick guiding chutes through which sticks may pass, said chutes being aligned in a row and spaced from each other in correspondence with the spacing between corresponding stick receiving receptacles on said stick holder; feeding means for feeding a stick for each of said chutes; means for supporting and moving said holder past said chutes along a path transverse to the line of said chutes; means for arresting the movement of said holder in steps to successively align said rows of receptacles with said chutes; and means cooperating with said feeding means and responsive to the operation thereof of filling the last row of receptacles in said stick holder for actuating said locking means.

8. In a device for placing sticks in a stick' stick receiving receptacles, each row including a plurality of receptacles spaced from each other, and a locking means operable to secure each of the sticks in its associated receptacle, the combination of: a stock rack for holding a supply of sticks and including a plurality of stick guiding chutes through which sticks may pass, said chutes being aligned in a row and spaced from each other in correspondence with the spacing between corresponding stick receiving receptacles on said stick holder; feeding means for feeding a stick through each of said chutes; means for supporting and moving a plurality of said holders past said chutes along a path transverse to the line of said chutes; means for arresting the movement of said holders in steps to successively align said rows of receptacles with said chutes; and means cooperating with said feeding means and responsive to the operation thereof of lling the first row of receptacles in a stick holder for ac tuating the locking means on the stick holder next preceding.

9. In a device for placing sticks in `a stick holder including a plurality of spaced and aligned stick receiving receptacles, the combination of:

an inclined stock rack for holding a supply of:

sticks in a substantially vertical position; a vertically disposed stick guiding chute constituting a closure member for the lower end of said in-v clined stock rack, said chute having a stick guid` ing channel therethrough; gravity actuated means receivable in said stock rack for continuously urging said supply of sticks toward said stick guiding chute and for moving the foremost one of said sticks into said guiding channel; means for supporting said holder in a position below said chute with one of said receptacles aligned with said chute: and feeding means for= feeding the foremost of said sticks through said guiding chute and including a member mounted for reciprocal movement in said guiding channel and having a V-shaped notch on the lower end thereof providing a knife edge insertable between said foremost stick and the next stick in said rack for positively engaging said foremost stick' and moving it through said guiding channel and into said receptacle without moving the next adjacent stick.

10. In a device for placing sticks in a stick holder including a plurality of spaced and aligned stick receiving receptacles, the combination of: a

n stock rack for holding a supply of sticks and inurging said holder past said chute along a path parallel to the line of said receptacles; cam means for arresting the movement of said holder in steps to successively align each of said receptacles with said chute, said cam means including a plurality of teeth'spaced from each other a distance equal to the spacing between said receptacles on said stick holder and disposed in a position to be engaged by said stick holder when said holder is moved into said aligned position; feeding means for engaging said sticks in said stock rack and feeding one of said sticks through said chute and into said receptacle aligned therewith; and means coupled to said feeding means and responsive to the completion of the feeding of said stick for momentarily disengaging said cam teeth from said holder to permit movement of said holder past said chute and for again disposing said cam member in such position that the next one of said teeth will be engaged by said holder when the next stick receiving receptacle is aligned with said stick guiding chute.

11. In a device for placing sticks in a stick holder including a plurality of spaced and aligned stick receiving receptacles and a locking means operable to secure each of the sticks in its associated receptacle, the combination of: a stock rack for holding a supply of sticks and including a stick guiding chute through which sticks may pass; feedingmeans for feeding a stick through said chute; means for supporting and moving said holder past said chute along a path parallel to the line of said receptacles; means for arresting the movement of said holder in steps to successively align said receptacles with said chute; and means cooperating with said feeding means and responsive to the operation thereof of :dlling the last of said receptacles for actuating said locking means.

12. In a device for placing sticks in a stick holder including a plurality of spaced and aligned stick receiving receptacles, the combination of: a

stock rack for holding a'supply of sticks in a substantially vertical position including a closure member having a stick receiving opening therethrough; means for moving the foremost one of said sticks into alignment with said opening; means for supporting said holder in a position b'elow said opening with one of said receptacles aligned therewith; and feeding means for feeding the foremost one of said sticks through said opening and including a member mounted for reciprocal movement toward and away from said opening and having a V-shaped notch on the lower end thereof providing a knife edge insertable between said foremost stick and the next stick in said rack for positively engaging said foremost stick and moving it through said opening and into said receptacle without moving the next adjacent stick.

ALVAH MICHAEL GRIFFIN.

ALVAH MERLE GRIFFIN. 

